Luminous dial and signs for service station dispensing apparatus



July 15,1958" 8 Filed Oct. 4, 1954 LUMINOUS DIAL AND SIGNS FOR SERVICE STATION i DISPENSING APPARATUS E D. RAPISARDA 2 842,880

'4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR,

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BYMIIPM ATTORNEYS July 15, 1958 E. D. RAPISARDA 2,842,880

LUMINOUS DIAL AND sums FOR SERVICE STATION DISPENSING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 4, 1954- THIQ E .iiALE DOILLAI; I

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BY ATTORNEYS July 15, 1958 E. D. RAPISARDA 2,842,830 LUMINOUS DIAL AND .SIGNS FQR SERVICE STATION DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 4, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR,

Ida/aid Z lYqrzzlm rda, BYMVM l0 ATTORNEYS July 15, 1958 E. D. RAPISARDA 7 2,842,880 LUMINOUS DIAL AND SIGNS FOR SERVICE STATION DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed 001:. 4, 1954 4 Sheets -Sheet 4 v INVENTOR, [Java]?! ,0. fia vjaaf'da,

United States Patent LUMINOUS DIAL AND SIGNS FOR SERVICE STATION DISPENSING APPARATUS Edward D. Rapisarda, Agawam, Mass., assignor to Gilbert & Barker Manufacturing Company, West Springfield, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 4, 1954, Serial No. 459,985

3 Claims. (Cl. 40-130) This invention relates to improvements in the illumina tion of certain parts of liquid dispensing apparatus, such for example, as is used at service stations for dispensing measured quantities of motor fuels.

Apparatus of this kind includes a housing having one or more windows through which may be seen the dial face or faces of a register that indicates the quantity and/or cost of the fuel dispensed. It is also usual to provide on the housing a sign disclosing the brand of motor fuel dispensed by the apparatus and sometimes also, a moving sign which advertises the products sold at the station. The brand sign panel and moving sign have heretofore been displayed through separate windows and illuminated from separate sources of light.

This invention has for an object the relative location of dial face, brand sign panel and, when desired, a moving sign so that all are displayed through a single window and illuminated from the same source of light.

The invention will be disclosed with reference to the illustrative embodiment of it in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a small-scale front-elevational view of a service station dispensing apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a small-scale side-elevational view of such Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational' view of the apparatus, drawn to a larger scale and showing the top front thereof; the housing consists of a base 1; a central section having laterally-spaced sides 2, which are suitably fixed to the base and extend upwardly therefrom, and a top wall 3, which interconnects the upper ends of the sides 2; and covers for enclosing the front and back of the central section and fixed thereto in any suitable way. Preferably, both at the front and back, there are a lower cover 4, which may be made of steel, and an upper cover 5, which is provided with a large window 6, formed within an em bordering frame, which consists of side portions 7 and 8, interconnected by top and bottom portions 9 and 10, respectively. The two side portions 7 and 8 are curved inwardly toward the two'sides 2, and the top portion 9 is curved inwardly toward the top 3 of the central section, therebyproviding considerable additional space as outward extensions of the space within the central section.

, on a similar flange 12 on the upper end of the lower cover 4 and is suitably interengaged therewith, as for example,

visible to the customer.

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'by a lug 13 on one flange extending through a suitable slot in the other flange. Depending from the central part of the upper portion 9 of each top cover 5 is a rotatable headed stud 14 having fixed to its lower end a cross pin 15. This stud and pin pass through a slot extending vertically through a sleeve 16, fixed to and depending from one leg of an angle iron 17, the other leg of which is fixed to the top wall 3. .The ends of the cross pin 15 engage shoulders on the sleeve 16 and hold the top of cover 5 to the part 16. The slotted head of stud 14 may be turned by a screw driver and a quarter turn of the stud will carry the ends of the cross pin off its shoulders and down earns 18 in position to be lifted through the slot in sleeve 16, when cover 5 is raised up.

Each upper cover 5 is preferably made of any suitable transparent material such for one example, as a transparent plastic material. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the central area, which forms the window 6, is left untreated and therefore remains transparent. This area may be depressed slightly from the rest of the cover, as indicated. The rest of the cover, the sides 7 and 8, the top '9 and bottom 10, have their inner faces coated with suitable material to render them translucent. In the drawings, the coating is designated 19 and it has been shown of exaggerated thickness in order to secure clearness of illustration. The coating may be paint and may be and desirably is colored. Since the material, to which the coating 19 is applied, is smooth and highly polished, the coating, when viewed from outside the cover, will also be smooth and highly polished, irrespective of how roughly the paint is applied.

Mounted centrally within the housing (Fig. 5) is a suitable registering mechanism 20, which rests upon and is suitably fixed to a support 21 which extends between the 'two upright sides 2 of the central section of the housing and is suitably fixed at its ends to such sides. This register is of the type commonly used at service stations for dispensing motor fuels and, as indicated in Fig. 3, has, at the front and at the rear, three series of number wheels 22, 23 and 24 which respectively show the cost, quantity and unit price of the fuel dispensed. Plates 25 (Fig. 5) are suitably fixed one to each of the front and rear walls of the register 20 and form the dial faces therefor, having three series of openings 26, 27 and 28 (see also Fig. 3) through which the indications of the number wheels 22, 23 and 24 are respectively visible. Each dial face 25 usually has other openings 29 and 30 in frontof the number wheels 'of cumulative registers which respectively show the total cost and total quantity dispensed but these number wheels are normally covered by shutters and not Each dial face 25 is located in back of, and spaced rearwardly from, the adjacent window 6, as shown in Fig. 5,-and extends from a position tire width of its window and slightly beyond the side edges thereof. The central part of each dial face is fiat but its ends 31 (Fig. 4) preferably curve outwardly toward and terminate closely adjacent the sides 7 and 8 of the frame that emborders the window. I

It is usual for the housing to carry at the front and at the rear a sign showing the brand of motor fuel dispensed. In this case, these signs are provided on panels of translucent material. These panels are mounted in the housing as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, and preferably in a manner to permit convenient removal and replacement, when desired. Each panel consists of a substantially rectangular portion 32 which extends across the upper part of the adjacent window 6 and is spaced just rearwardly thereof and well forwardly from the adjacent dial face 25. The lower portion of each panel 32 overlaps the 'motor 42, similar to those used in electric clocks.

upper portion of the adjacent dial face 25. This panel extends upwardly toward but terminates short of the upper end of the window. As shown in Fig. 4, panel 32 has a slight curvature,,,approximating that of the adjacent window 6. At the ends of each panel 32 are inturned members 33, which extend back to sides 2 and have out-turned flanges 34 to abut such sides. These flanges extend above the panel and have keyhole slots 35, through which extend the screws 36 that clamp the flanges to sides 2.

In addition to the brand sign, it is frequently desired to provide the housing with a moving sign, carrying some advertising message. For this purpose, an endless band 37, of translucent material and carrying the desired message, is caused to revolve about a vertical axis in back of the upper parts of the windows 6. The diameter of this sign is only a little less than the distance between the windows and the one sign thus serves for both windows. The sign rests on a flat annular ring 38, which is connected by a plurality of radial spokes 39 to a central hub 40. The latter is fixed on the upper end of the shaft 41 of a small electric This motor may be mounted in a box 43 which is fixed to a cross support 44, suitably fixed at its ends to, and extending between, the two sides 2 of the central section of the housing. Box 43 is connected by a conduit, shown in part at 45 in Fig. 5, that carries the electrical supply conductors. The spokes 39 have portions which upstand from the supporting ring 38 at right angles and these portions serve to position the annular sign band in proper coaxial relation with ring 38.

Cooperating with the annular sign band 37 are shielding means, both at the front and at the rear of the housing, for concealing all but the desired portions of the sign. Conveniently, the shielding means are formed integrally with the above-described sign panel 32. Each such means consists of a central part cylindrical portion 46, located coaxially of and closely adjacent to the periphery of the sign, and flat end portions 47. These portions 46 and 47 upstand from a fiat horizontal wall 48, inturned from the upper end of the brand sign panel 32 and its ends 33. The end portions 48 are in the plane of the flanges 34 of the brand sign panel and receive the described clamping screws 36. The part-cylindrical portion of the shield is complete only for a narrow lower band which overlaps and conceals the lower end of the sign band 37 and its carrier ring 38. The upper part of shield portion 46 is cut away as at 49, to enable the desired part of the periphery of the sign 37 to be seen through the adjacent window 6. The upper edge of sign 37 lies above the top of window 6 and is thereby concealed.

The dial faces 25, the brand sign panels 32, the moving sign 37 and the frames which emborder the windows 6, are all illuminated by a series of. electric lamps 50, mounted in sockets 51 carried by the described box 43. These lamps and the described motor 42 may be controlled by suitable switch means, located in a housing 52 attached to box 43 and operable by a rod 53, which extends outwardly through one side 2 of the central section of the housing for convenient operation. All the lamps are located at the level of and inside the annular translucent sign band 37. Two lamps 50 overlie the space between the front dial face 25 and the front window .6 and the other two lamps overlie the space between the rear dial face and the rear window. Thus, rays of light pass downwardly in each such space and illuminate a dial face. Also, light will shine through a translucent brand panel 32 and illuminate the brand sign thereon. In addition, light will reach the sides 7 and 8 and the top 9 and bottom 10 of the cover and illuminate these members. The customer will thus see a brilliantly illuminated dial face 25, which is usually White; above it a brand sign 32 with the background for the letters of the sign illuminated by light shining through the translucent material and usually appearing as a dull white; above the brand sign 32 a moving sign 37, also having the background for its letters illuminated by light shining through the translucent material and usually also appearing as a dull white, all embordered by a luminous colored frame comprising the painted translucent members 7, 8, 9 and 10 The arrangement produces a striking effect that forcibly attracts the notice of approaching motorists to the advertising of the product.

When a moving sign is not desired, a wider brand sign panel 32 may be used as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. This panel is constructed in the same way as panel 32, except for the omission of the shields 46 and 47 and the increase in width, and it is fastened to the sides 2 of the housing in the same way. Parts in Figs. 6 and 7 which correspond with parts in Figs. 1 to 5 have been given the same reference numeral with the addition of a prime. The lamps 50 will lie in back of the wide brand panels 32' and illuminate the same.

In Fig. 7, the dial face 25 is constructed of a plastic material that will conduct through it light from the lamps 50, which overlie the upper edge of the dial face. The back of this dial face may be painted, as at 54. The light conducted through the plastic member 25 illuminates the surface of paint 54 that is in contact with the back of member 25 and the result, as seen through the window 6, is a brilliantly-illuminated highly-polished lustrous dial face.

The apparatus may be converted from one form to the other very quickly with little effort and unskilled hands. Assuming that the apparatus has simply the brand sign 32 of Figs. 6 and 7 and it is desired to add the moving sign 37, one first removes the covers 5, which may be done by first giving member 14 a quarter turn and then lifting the cover. The screws 35' of each panel 32 are loosened, the panel raised to the limit permitted by slot 36 and then drawn forwardly. Then, the sign holder 38, 39, 40 is slid into place and hub 40 pressed onto the upper end of shaft 41. The sign 37 is then placed on the holder and then panels 32, each having the shields 46 and 47, are put in place and fastened by screws 35'. The covers 5 are then replaced and locked by giving the fastener 14 a quarter turn. The change can be made in a few minutes without the aid of any tool other than a screw driver. The change is one that can readily be made by the service station operator. The signs 37 may be printed paper bands which may be readily changed by the operator as and when. required.

The invention thus provides in the housing of a service station dispensing apparatus an improved arrangement for the display of advertising signs and the dial face of the register within an embordering frame together with means for illuminating the signs, dial face and embordering frame.

What is claimed is: 1. In a dispensing apparatus, wherein a housing with upstanding walls has a window in one of them provided with upper and lower edges and a pair of side edges, an

upstanding dial face spaced rearwardly from said window and extending between said pair of side edges and extending upwardly from a level below said lower edge toward but terminating short of said upper edge, a brand sign panel of translucent material spaced rearwardly fiom the upper part of said window and spaced forwardly from the dial face, said panel extending between the side edges of said window and extending upwardly from a level slightly below the upper edge of the dial face to a level slightly above the upper edge of said window, and an electric lamp located directly behind the brand sign panel and above the upper edge of the dial face and in part overlying the space between said panel and dial face, whereby rays from said lamp pass more or less horizontally through the translucent brand sign panel and the upper part of said window and other rays pass substantially vertically downward through the space between 5 the brand sign panel and dial face to illuminate said face.

2. The combination, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wall with the window has rearwardly turned translucent side portions located beyond the ends of the dial face and illuminated by the rays from said lamp which pass downwardly through said space and spread laterally to said side portions and a rearwardly turned translucent portion overlying said lamp and illuminated by the latter.

3. In a dispensing apparatus, a housing including upstanding front and rear walls each having a window provided with upper and lower edges and a pair of connecting side edges, front and rear upstanding dial faces respectively spaced inwardly from the front and rear windows, each such dial face extending across between the side edges of the adjacent window and extending upwardly from a level below the lower edge of its window to a level below the upper edge of its window, front and rear brand sign panels of translucent material respectively located in back of and closely adjacent the front and rear windows and spaced outwardly from the front and rear dial faces, each panel extending across between the side edges of the adjacent window and extending upwardly from a level slightly below the upper edge of the adjacent dial face to a level slightly above the upper edge of the adjacent window, each panel having a longitudinally-extending opening in its upper portion, a hollow cylindrical sign of translucent material 'mounted to revolve about a vertical axis located in a vertical plane passing centrally between and parallel with the front and rear windows and in a vertical plane passing centrally between the side edges of the windows and at right angles thereto, said cylindrical sign located at the level of the openings in the front and rear panels with portions of its periphery visible therethrough, and front and rear lamps both located inside the cylindrical sign and respectively located inside the front and rear panels and above the dial faces, one lamp overlying the space between the front brand sign panel and the front dial face and the other overlying the space between the rear brand sign panel and the rear dial face, whereby rays frorn'each lamp pass outwardly through the endless sign and the brand sign panels and windows and other rays from the front and rear lamps respectively pass downwardly through the spaces between the front and rear panels and the front and rear dial faces to illumimate the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,212,306 Abrahams June 16, 1917 1,455,949 Whitmore Mar. 22, 1923 2,520,847 Marchese Aug. 29, 1950 2,652,652 Lasko Sept. 22, 1953 2,692,808 Marsh Oct. 26, 1954 2,770,711 Baranowski Nov. 13, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 259,157 Italy July 16, 1928 

